


Hat Trick

by ThatPilotGirl



Category: Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
Genre: Bisexual Character of Color, Bisexuality, Everything i write is bisexual polyamory, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:48:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24068371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatPilotGirl/pseuds/ThatPilotGirl
Summary: Jules likes Joe likes Jess likes Jules likes Jess likes Joe likes JulesAKA canon, but as the bisexual OT3 I was polyshipping before I knew what any of those things were
Relationships: Jess Bhamra/Joe, Jess Bhamra/Joe/Jules Paxton, Jess Bhamra/Jules Paxton, Jules Paxton/Joe
Comments: 4
Kudos: 25





	Hat Trick

**Author's Note:**

> It's on hulu now. If I owned it, it would have been on hulu way before this

Jess will admit-years later-that she noticed Jules noticing her right from the first. The park obviously isn't "Indians only," but it's right near the temple, and so many people's houses, and the businesses that they own, that that's mostly who patronizes it. So yes, Jules sticks out a bit with her pale skin and cropped blonde hair. Why this pretty goreh kept watching her Jess couldn't imagine, but she didn't have much time to think about it really. She had to focus if she wanted to keep making the Tony and the rest of the boys trip over their own feet. Scoring a goal after leaving them all in the dust is satisfying, even if it is just pickup football in the park.

* * *

Going to that first Harriers trial was like stepping in to an alternate universe. All these girls playing football, and playing well! Headers and tricky drills and Jess is pretty sure she saw a girl doing a flip as she arrived, though that wouldn't be going on during games she was sure. When she's had her fill of watching, she jogs up to where Jules and a man she assumes is their coach, Joe, having a heated conversation.

"At least watch her," Jules is saying.

Oh. They were talking about her. Still, she puts on her brightest smile...and proceeds to make herself look like an absolute moron.

 _"Up front on the right,"_ she thinks to herself, as she drops off her jacket. _"How hard is it to say 'striker'."_

The problem is that Jess has never particularly thought of herself in terms of the players she saw on TV. She'd never seen football as something she would do seriously, just as a bit of fun with the boys. At least Jules is still smiling though, and the rest of Jess' nerves vanish when she gets the ball to her feet. They start with a bunch of drills before launching into a scrimmage and Jess feels her confidence build with each girl she passes.

"Pass it to Jules!" Joe's voice echoes, and Jess looks up to find Jules exactly where she needs her. They connect for the goal and Jess returns Jules' grin with one of her own.

Afterwards, the girls already on the squad start packing up. Jess is debating if she should ask someone where she should help when Joe calls her over.

"How did it feel out there?" he asks as they walk. Jess isn't sure where they're headed, but she's not going to fight her, or, hopefully her, coach on their first meeting.

They chat as they go, with Jules joining them to help tell the story of the team's founding. Jules and Joe rib each other with easy familiarity, and Jess feels an odd echo of what it used to be like chaperoning Pinky and Teets' dates. Joe and Jules aren't together though, at least, she doesn't think so.The feeling breaks when Jules slings an arm around her shoulder.

"Does she pass then?"

Joe looks at her, expression unreadable.

"Are your parents ok with it?"

"They're cool." Jess answers.

It isn't totally a lie. Her parents are pretty cool in general, and she's pretty sure they'd rather she play with girls than boys. Even if they don't know she's been playing with boys in the first place. Oops.

"He likes you." Jules professes as Joe walks away.

"You think so?"

"He asked you back didn't he?"

 _"You asked me here."_ Jess thinks, but then Jules is telling her about playing soccer professionally, in America, and it's all Jess can think about. A scout, a real American scout, coming to watch them play.

* * *

"Oops," Jules observes as the ball finds its way into her mother's flower pots instead of the goal.

Again.

Jules sort of blacks out for the conversation about how she's never going to get a guy- _"I already have one," and "It's not a GUY I want," vying for her attention in the category of responses-she's-not-going-to-give,"-_ and doesn't really zone back in until she's past her mother and back in to the house. Behind her, she can hear her dad defending her. At least one parents love her the way she is.

* * *

She thought changing in the locker room was awkward, but it's got nothing on the way she feels stepping out on to the field. This is the first time in years her burn has been exposed outside of her bedroom. It's the first time any man besides the doctors at the beginning and...well...her poster of David Beckham has seen it. She plops down in a seat behind an add for Lucozade to get her nerves together. Should have known she wouldn't have been able to hide for long though; Joe strides over almost immediately.

It's odd talking about it. Telling someone, anyone about the massive scar that covers the almost her whole right thigh. Her parents don't acknowledge that it exists most of the time and Pinky...well Jess can understand no wanting to relive the time you had to save your little sister's life when you were still a kid yourself. Joe though, is matter of fact about it while still being empathetic. More than that, he's able to directly relate, what with his buggered up knee and all. He laughs when she says the whole thing put her off beans and toast and _oh._ That little flickering feeling. That's what Pinky and her friends are always giggling about.

* * *

Things stay relatively the same for the next few weeks. Jess helps her mom and Pinky with wedding stuff, talks to Tony about their-low level nervousness as the wait for A-level results to come out, and plays football. The other girls on the team treat her as if she's always been there. Practices are long and hard, but Jess always finds herself having a good time, even when they are all groaning about another round of sprints. The longest, hardest practices are the ones where she and Jules stay late and work with Joe. They practice impossible shots and passing on a hair of notice until some days, Jess feels like she and Jules are sharing a brain. And if Jess has started to get that flickering feeling around _both_ of them? Well. She's just excited that things are going so well with the team.

She should have known it was all too good to last.

* * *

The day in the park almost ruins everything. Well, not entirely. She's still playing after all, still hanging out with the girls and learning from Joe. Jules and Tony get on as well as if they've know each other for years and sometimes they all play together in the park. But now she's deliberately lying to her parents, which is a lot different than just avoiding the truth. She may not be the perfect Indian daughter, but guilt is a hard tradition to break. And at least she and Jules have that in common - unsupportive mothers. Jess wouldn't say it made her feel good, but she definitely got that little flickering feeling when she found out.

"What is _happening?"_ she asks Becks as she lies in bed one night. The poster doesn't answer. Probably for the best.

* * *

Jules should have gotten over her crush on Joe years ago. She knows that. She should leave their not-quite relationship in the past where it belongs. They have the team now, after all, and that's why she had met him in the first place. That was the whole point of hanging around all of those men's practices. She can't help that she fell for him along the way, but she can avoid doing anything about it anymore. That's just a bit hard to remember when she's hanging out the bar, teaming up with him to beat a bunch of regulars at foosball.

He never hugs her goodbye though anymore; if she wraps her arms around him his hands stay in his pockets. That's what she's got the team for though; for hugging when they score and throwing each other into sprinklers and flinging arms across each other's shoulders. And if she hangs on to Jess a bit more than she does the others, well, then that's her business.

"What is _happening?"_ she asks Mia Hamm as she lies in bed one night. The poster doesn't answer. Probably for the best.

* * *

Joe isn't blind. He knows Jules didn't just stop being attracted to him the second they formed the team, and he hadn't stopped being attracted to her either. But they'd talked about it when they had officially decided to start he girls side. No shagging players. It's the same reason he didn't make her captain; he doesn't want her getting accused of using a past relationship for present favors. They decide on Mel together, and even though the other girl has the title, he still finds himself relying on Jules as a sort of assistant coach far more than he probably should. Mercifully, the team doesn't say anything.

And then Jess happens.

And yeah, she's gorgeous, and smart, and practically magic with the ball at her feet, but most of the team is. That's not what gets him. What gets him his her self-deprecating humor, her determination to always nail whatever their working on. Her drive. The way she curses in Punjabi when she misses a shot. And the way she and Jules connect is nothing short of amazing. It's as if they have been playing together forever instead of just for a few months, and their friendship is as solid as their playing. He would be lying if he said the days that they meet up outside of practice to put in extra time, just the three of them, weren't some of his favorite hours.

And as stated, he isn't blind. He notices how long their touches linger, the way they smile when they think the other isn't looking. The way they always look to each other first when one of them makes a shot, or figures out a new trick, every time. And then they look to him next. Always.

"Why is this _happening?"_ he asks his ceiling as lies in bed one night. The ceiling doesn't answer. Probably for the best.

* * *

Jess is pretty sure that boot shopping with Jules has been the best day of her life. From taking the tube on a different route than usual, to wandering around the Soccer Scene trying on different pairs, to grabbing lunch at the pub, it's been a wonderful time from start to finish. Jess is sure she hasn't stopped smiling the entire time, and there's a suspicious warmth taking up residence in her chest. She can change shirts in the locker room without breaking a sweat now, but something about Jules' laughter in the pub brings a flush to her cheeks. She's never been on a date, but when Jules says "allow me" and gallantly pays for both of their drinks, it sure feels like one.

Maybe one day, she'll get more than a couple weeks of peace at a time. And she doesn't blame her sister for wanting to see the shoes-they were for her wedding after all-but come on. Pinky had _just_ promised not to tell their parents.

* * *

At least Jules has the extra pair of shoes. But Jess can't get the feeling of Joe's arm around her out of her head when she goes to pick them up, so it's no wonder that her eyes gravitate to the picture of Jules and Joe that lives on Jules' dresser. Jules notices her looking and smiles fondly.

"I love that picture. It was taken just after we beat Millwall last year."

It looks like it was taken in circumstances a bit different than just winning a football match, but Jess lets it go when Jules shows her clips from the women's league in the US. Some of the names she's heard before-Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain-but others she'll definitely popping by the library to research more.

Jules' mom pops up then and it's awkward. It's exhausting, this sly racism that masquerades as support, and Jess can't help her disappointment. She'd known that Jules and her mother didn't see eye to eye on a lot, but Jules had never shown a hint of it. Usually people who were raised by bigots slipped up sooner or later, and Jess had allowed herself to believe that Jules' lack of such slips meant that her parents were alright. Clearly not. She's shutting herself down, going to that little place inside of herself that everyone _different_ has for occasions such as this, when Jules speaks up and calls her mother out directly. Both girls find themselves giggling at Mrs. Paxton's shock when she finds out that Jess is a footballer.

She doesn't believe Jules when she denies fancying Joe, but "no shagging players," seems like a good rule for obvious reasons so it seems irrelevant anyhow.

* * *

Is there not a Sikh in Great Britain who can mind their own bloody business?

(And what if she _was_ kissing an English boy then? Or an English girl?)

* * *

Okay, so _maybe_ going to Jess' house was a bit far. But the team needed her. Jules needed her. He needed. He needed a functioning squad of football players.

Seeing Jess in her own home is jarring. She's barely the girl he's come to li-know, all quiet and stillness. Her hands fidget though, revealing then energy that always seems to light her up like a live wire. He just wants to turn to her and ask her to come back, but her knows that won't work. Bollocks. He should have thought through what to say.

"I'm sorry to barge in on you like this Mr. and Mrs. Bhamra, but I wanted to talk to you in person," There, titles were always a good start. And apologies. Those too. "I only found out today thatyou didn't know Jess was playing for our team."

"No we didn't!" Mrs. Bhamra interjects.

"I apologize. If I had known I would have encouraged Jess to tell you, and I believe one of her teammates did. Because we believe she's got tremendous potential."

Jess' eyes lift, something he can't read within them, but her father is the one to speak.

"I think we know better our daughter's potential. Jess has no time for games, she'll be starting university soon."

"But playing for the team is an honor." Jess declares, and something inside of him lifts.

"What bigger honor is there than respecting your elders?" her mother retorts.

Her father speaks up again then, and from the look on her face, she had never known about her father's days as an athlete. Joe's heart aches. What would it be, to have a father who worried, who cared, who wanted to protect him? What would it be to have a family?

When she walks him out, he invites her to Germany with very little hope.

* * *

Jess gets on to the bus, explaining about her cover story, and Mel instantly moves to another seat so that she can sit next to Jules.

"I can't believe you made it!" The blonde squeals, throwing her arms around Jess.

"My sister is staying in a hotel with her, well, ex-fiancee I suppose. It works out well."

"It does!"

* * *

The day they spend in Hamburg quickly becomes Jules' favorite day. From taking pictures, to trying street food, to marveling at the architecture, she can think of no one she'd rather spend it with than her friends. And among them, her best friends. Somehow she, Jess, and Joe always find themselves sitting together whether it be on the boat tour or at the cafe where they stop for lunch. She thinks the picture they take of the three of them might just replace the post-Millwell one on her desk.

The game is thrilling; it's incredible to be playing a team they haven't seen a hundred times before.

Losing is not thrilling.

She can tell that Jess feels bad, but it's nothing that can't be fixed by a night of dancing, and apparently, a night of dancing is exactly what the German girls have planned for them. After a couple of brief hiccups, and a lot of help from Mel, they get Jess looking club-ready. Jules can't take her eyes off of her, if she's being entirely honest, and Joe seems to feel the same way even if all he says is "Let's get a taxi" while the girls exclaim.

When they get to the club, Joe immediately find himself a corner to sit in and that's just entirely unacceptable. Jules lets it go for a bit though, until she's got a couple of drinks in her and she feels up to whining him into dancing. Jess nearly spoils it coming over to talk about football, but it gives Joe a chance to be snotty and Irish, which softens him up. He follows her on to the floor, and dancing is fun but there's something missing. Someone missing. She walks by a moment later, and Joe is able to pull her into the dance for a moment before she leaves again.

He follows, and Jules lets him go, figuring he's going to bring her back. When they don't reappear, she follows the path they took out to the patio. The cool night air is a godsend on her skin, sweaty from drinking and dancing, but she only gets to appreciate if for a second before she spots Joe and Jess. They're standing close, very close. They're leaning in. Jealousy wells up in her. Funny thing is, she's not sure who she's jealous of.

"You bitch." she says, and they turn as one to look at her.

She almost regrets it but she's drunk so she doesn't, and she doesn't regret what she does next either, which is to storm across the patio and kiss Jess. It's hardly a great kiss; they're both a little drunk so it's pretty messy, but it's somehow still the best kiss Jules has ever had. Especially when Jess' hands land on her waist.

They break apart after a minute, and when Jules turns to look at Joe, he's walking away.

"Hey!" she shouts, and he turns, those green eyes blazing.

Now she's got a dilemma because she wants to storm over there and kiss him too but Jess is on her arm and Jules doesn't want to dislodge her. Joe crosses back to them in long, efficient strides, takes Jules' face in his hands, and kisses her slowly and so hot it nearly burns.

"Oh" whispers Jess, sounding entranced.

Somehow, they've all ended up wrapped each other, and Jules watches as Joe and Jess lean in again. This time, she doesn't stop them.

* * *

They're all. Well. They're all too hungover to be feeling particularly fantastic as then get back to England, but Jess and Jules fell asleep draped all over each other on the plane while Joe glanced over at them every three seconds as if making sure they were real. It was the same on the bus, and they stumble off of it smiling at each other, only for Jess' face to fall immediately as she saw the car waiting for her.

"Bollocks." Joe mumbles.

Jess gave them one last look that was attempting to be a smile before going to meet them.

* * *

"Pinks, how do you know Teets is the one?" Jess asks, handing her sister a mug of masala chai.

"I just know," her sister replies, voice fragile. "When you're in love with someone, you'll do anything for that person."

"Pinks. DO you think Mum and Dad would ever speak to me again if I brought home a goreh?"

She'd gone through a few versions of that sentence in her head-a goreh, a girl, a goreh girl-but this one had seemed easiest.

"Who?"

"No one! I'm just saying!"

And isn't that all that needs to be said? Pinky's love life may not be entirely on the up and up at the moment, but whatever she's got, it isn't this.

* * *

The next morning, Jess heads straight for the pitch, climbing the stairs to Joe's bar. He's in his white shirt, the one that makes him look impossibly handsome, and he's speaking with men in suits. Jess turns away until he notices her.

"Hi."

"Hi. Who were those men?"

"Club chairman and his assistant. They're considering me for an assistant job with the men's team next year."

"That's amazing!"

"I probably won't get it."

"You deserve it," Jess protests, meaning every word. After a breath, she decides she should say what she came here to say. "Look, I really don't want you losing the team over what happened. Especially not now. We should probably just forget about it."

Joe reaches out a hand, rests it on her shoulder.

"Couldn't if I wanted to. But you're right, there's not much we can do about it right now."

Something inside of her relaxes at that. Sure, not right now. but not right now was a world away from never. Whatever it was clenched up again when Joe spoke again though.

"Your parents didn't seem to pleased. I suppose you're going to tell me you're off the team for good?"

"No matter what I do, I'm going to let someone down."

"You have to live your own life at some point. If you just keep trying to please them, you're going to end up blaming them."

"Like you?"

They're standing side by now, touching from shoulder to elbow as they look over the field, and Jess doesn't look but she feels him go stiff.

"Yes. I stopped talking to my dad because we had nothing to say. After the injury I spent a full year getting pissed and trying to leave the game alone. Jules...she wouldn't let me. My dad would laugh his arse off if he knew I was coaching girls, but starting this side with her is the only thing that stopped me from giving it up entirely."

"I'm glad you didn't. And I don't know your dad, but he should be proud of you.; You should be proud of yourself, of what you've given all of us. I just...I can't cut my family off like that."

"I can see that. But it doesn't mean that you should just give up."

Jess sighs.

"I'm gonna go see Jules."

Both of them smile a little; it's reflexive.

* * *

Jess is going to come tell her she's giving it all up. The team, Joe, Jules, all of it. She knows what's going to happen, so what's the point in doing more than sitting up in bed when Jess does arrive. Her mum, clueless as always, prattles on about how sad Jules is over the loss in Germany. Like that's the most important thing she's losing. Can't really say that though, she would go spare.

"Well? Come to say goodbye?"

"Jules! That's not-"

"Not what? Not what your here for? You're not leaving us?"

"That's not what I want." Jess says, softly.

She perches on a corner of the bed. There's the sound of paper crinkling, and she stands back up. Oops. Jules forgot. She left the photos there. Jess sits back down, images in hand.

"I think Mel has the one from Hamburg," she says.

"I think so. I'll get a copy."

"Look, I really don't want you to be upset with me."

"I'm not!"

"I'm sorry, I just don't know what's going to happen next. Not with my family, not with football, not with any of it!"

"Ugh." Jules says, flinging herself back down. "I can't believe we all kissed."

"You started it!"

"Do you regret it?" she asks, sitting up again and scooting closer to Jess.

"No. Not for a minute. Do you?"

"No. Does that make us slags?"

"Well if it does, Joe's one too."

"Yeah how come men never get called slags? Anyways. You could really hurt me Jess. I don't want to get hurt."

Jess puts her arm around her and pulls her in for a hug; Jules closes her eyes to try and keep the tears in. When she pulls back, Jess seems to have made some kind of resolution. "I'm not going to betray you Jules. I promise."

And then they kiss, and it's so much better than it was on the patio because even if it's still wet with their tears, this time at least she knows that Jess wants this, wants her.

* * *

So.

Tony is gay.

Jess really wishes she could hug him properly, but she settles for telling him "It's ok with me."

He cracks a smile. "Yeah, well, you fancying your goreh coach is ok with me. And besides, he's quite fit!"

"Tony!" She shrieks, shoving at him.

"Alright alright your goreh teammate is quite fit too if you go that way. Happy?"

* * *

The next game does not start out well. She and Jess can't seem to connect on anything, and the more they mess up the more frustrated they get. Joe is obviously not happy with either of them, or any of them really, but he's doing his best to keep his cool and be a good coach. When they finally connect for a goal, it's a minor relief. The other team is playing dirty and mean, and Jules is pretty sure there are as many little fouls and injuries happening in this game as there have been all season.

The second goal loosens things up a bit more, and Jules is pretty sure she even sees Joe crack a smile. It all goes to hell when Jess gets fouled though. Jules doesn't here what the other girl says next, but Jess is _launching_ at her, all rage and fury. Both teams are in it then, until the ref breaks it up and decides that Jess is the one who deserves a red card. Horseshit. Absolute horseshit. The rest of the team is still hollering, but Jules hangs back to watch Jess go. She still looks murderous.

They win, but it's a hollow victory and Joe's locker room cheers don't do much. Especially after he lectured Jess, when they all knew she was in the right. She follows him when he leaves, and Jules goes after them.

"Why did you yell at me like that?" she demands.

"You knew the ref was out of order!" Jules contributes.

"You could have cost us the tournament!" Joe replies.

"But it wasn't my fault! You didn't have to shout."

Evidently, Joe has decided they're far enough from the locker room to have this conversation, because he turns to face them.

"Girls, I am your coach. I have to treat you the same as everyone else!" He sighs. "Look. I saw the foul. She tugged your shirt. You just overreacted that's all."

"That's not all! She called me a Paki, but I guess you wouldn't understand what that feels like would you?"

Jules winces at the word and folds Jess into her arms. Jess is still facing Joe, who says "Jess I'm Irish. Of course I'd understand what that feels like," and joins the hug.

Jess' breathing is just starting to even out when her dad's voice interrupts.

* * *

The wedding is back on. On the 25th. Just as she was starting to get her dad on her side. And it isn't like she's not over the moon for Pinky but...Jess takes a long time to fall asleep that night.

* * *

"Mel said you wanted to see me?" Jules asks, coming in to the bar.

"It's about Jess."

"We should probably talk about Germany shouldn't we?"

He sighs.

"Listen Jules..."

She sits down next to him, hands unable to stay still on the table top.

"Just...just don't tell me it was all for her ok?"

"Jules. Never." he replies, covering her hands with his. "The only regret I have ever had about starting this team was that I had to give up you to do it."

"...Oh. But then why are you leaving next year? I won't be here anyways."

"Nothing's been decided."

She pulls her hands back, sharply. "Don't lie to me Joe."

He turns his hands so his palms are up. Open. "I would never. And I did want to talk about Germany, but not this."

"What then?"

"The scout saw you there. He's coming to the final."

She grips his hands.

"He is?"

"He is. For you and for Jess."

"Joe..." she says, and she leans over the table and kisses him.

They kiss for a long time, and not counting Germany it's been years but she still remembers exactly what he likes. He can't even bring himself to care about the windows. After they've had their fill, for now, at least, Joe smiles.

"I guess you'd better go get our girl."

* * *

Jess is holding the ladder when Jules shows up, and though her dad gives them a suspicious look, he dismisses them without argument.

"I've just come from seeing Joe. He's worried we got you in to more trouble with your dad."

"I don't know if I'll ever be able to go back." Jess responds.

"But you have to! The scout will be there for us!"

"Really?"

"Really. He saw us play in Germany!"

"But I missed the penalty kick in Germany!"

"Well the you'd really better impress him this time, yeah?"

"Ugh, you're the worst!" Jess answers, but they're both laughing.

She sobers. "It's the same date as the wedding though."

"Well shit. Can you get away for a bit? The team needs you. _We_ need you."

Jess hesitates.

"I can try."

* * *

The week by in a strange blur. Joe and Jules, with Mel, run the team hard, trying to get them ready for the final. Mel is now the one to stay back doing more drills with Joe and Jules, but it isn't the same. Even worse when its just the two of them, because it's more like it used to be but less how it should be. Jess, meanwhile, wedding preps her heart out. When she can, she practices, bending around the laundry line and juggling lettuces as they cook. Sometimes, she can slip away to the park for some time in with Jules. She tries very hard not to think about how much she wants to be at that final.

* * *

Joe debates stopping by the night before. Eventually, he decides against it. If she hasn't decided by now, she's not going to. All he can do is wait.

* * *

Jess feels the clock tick every second of the wedding day. Every smile, every petal, every wrap of a sari. She wonders how the team is doing, if they're scoring, if there are injuries, if they're defending set pieces well.

Pinky is a beautiful bride.

The cake and the decorations are lovely.

Jess wants to know if Jules is impressing the scout, if Mel is keeping her supplies with assists, if Joe is happy with how the team is doing.

The food is delicious.

Her father shoos them off and Jess is pretty sure she's never been happier or more surprised in her life. But Tony ignore every speed limit they see on the way there. They get to the pitch 15 minutes in to the second half and Joe gives her a glance.

"Start warming up Bhamra. We're down 1-0"

Jess does as she's told, and 5 minutes later Joe is subbing her on during a penalty kick. There's a high-five as she switches with the girl who was on, and her teammates cheer in welcome, but Jess only has eyes for one person. She flings herself into Jules' arms, and the other girl's smile is blinding. Jenny defends the goal beautifully, and then they're in the thick of it. Jess gets the ball to her feet and sends it straight to Jules. They keep on like that, finding one another like the week off never happened. Jules is the one to put it in the goal. Tie game.

The ball is back with Jess, and she's feeling good with it. Jules is calling for the pass, but if she can make it just a bit further...a cleat collides with her ankle, and she goes down hard. The ref clears everyone away in short order though, her teammates help her stand, and Jess lines up for her shot. She swears though that for a second, it isn't a line of footballers between her and the goal, but her sister. Her mom. Her aunties. She looks again. Footballers.

Jess clears her mind of everything but the ball, and kicks. It soars over the goalie as she dives for it, a second too soon. Jess feels all of the sound and color of the world rush back. And that's, and that's it. They've won. Her teammates lift her onto their shoulders in a screaming mass of celebration, in the middle of a bigger screaming mass of celebration, Jules is right next to her and Joe is at the edge of the pitch and she's pretty sure she can hear Tony in the stands. But she hasn't really got time to celebrate, so she rushes to the locker room. Her teammates, bless them, help her rewrap her sari. They're just finishing up when Joe knocks on the door. With one more glance at each other, they push out of it.

The American scout is an older man from California. He shakes both of their hands, explains all about the scholarships he wants to give them to Santa Clara. Joe's eyes are shining like emeralds and Jess wants nothing more than to kiss him, but that would be an entirely terrible idea for a variety of reasons. She kisses Jules instead, or, they kiss each other, close enough to the corners of the mouth for plausible deniability but definitely a kiss. Tony hustles them back to the wedding then, and she's pretty sure her father will never complain about her smile again. What a game! What a win! What an opportunity! She talks over her outline for telling her parents in the car with Tony, and he agrees that it just might work. And then she dances, and dances, and dances, and Pinky somehow looks even more gorgeous and her father gives her a hug when she tells him they won.

* * *

They meet at the pitch that night. Joe is in his warmups and Jules is watching from the bleachers in jeans and a hoodie when Jess comes flying across the field still in her sari.

"Joe! Jules! I'm going! They said I could go!" She hollers. 

Jules hurls herself down the stands. Jess gets to Joe first, and he lifts her and swings her around, depositing her back on the field for a quick kiss. Then It's Jules' turn to pick her up, Joe laughing as she too spins and kisses Jess. Joe's friends whoop at them, and Jess looks worried.

"Sorry, I forgot."

"I'm not your coach anymore, remember?" he replies.

"And that means we can do whatever we want!" Jules declares.

She kisses Joe herself just to prove it, and they smile at each other a little sappily. All three of them go back to the seats to give the boys room to play. And then they talk. About the last few weeks of summer, about their families, about everything. And they kiss, short and sweet, long and slow...

"Oh no," Jess sighs as Joe and Jules break apart, hair rumpled.

"What is it darlin'?" Joe asks.

"I just got my parents to accept football. There's no way they're going to be ok with this."

"Well. I. Think. That. Is. A. Problem. For. Another. Time." Jules responds, punctuating each word with a kiss. By the end of the sentence, Jess is desperate for something longer, and Joe obliges.She supposes they're right.

* * *

The real goodbye happens the night before at the field, just like the night weeks ago when Jess had told them she was going to America. But Joe can't let them go without one last goodbye. He sprints through the airport, ignoring the pain in his knee, until he spots them.

"Jules! Jess!"

They turn from their families and meet him halfway.

"What are you doing here?" Jess asks.

"They offered me the job coaching the men's side."

"That's amazing Joe!" Jules declares.

"It is. But I turned them down. They're gonna let me take the women's side professional."

"That's brilliant!" They answer, in unison.

"Yeah, I know. Maybe I'll sign you girls after Santa Clara has trained you up. If I can afford ya."

Jules snorts, while Jess goes "You wish!"

"Also." he adds. "I had to say goodbye one last time."

He pecks them each briefly, then walks them back to their families on his arms. As he does Jules point up.

"It's Becks! This is a good sign!" she declares.

* * *

They send team photos to each of their families, and then they send one to Joe with a note on the back.

"150 days until Christmas!  
Love,  
Your California Girlfriends"


End file.
